SMA's solar battery storage replaces diesel on Saba island

Saba island. Author: Richie Diesterheft.

March 13 (Renewables Now) - SMA Sunbelt Energy GmbH has completed a 2.3-MWh energy storage system at a solar photovoltaic (PV) farm on Saba island in the Dutch Caribbean, the German company announced on Wednesday.

Last year, SMA Sunbelt Energy, a unit of SMA Solar Technology AG (ETR:S92), was selected as the preferred bidder in a battery storage tender launched by the Saba island utility, Saba Electric Company NV (SEC).

With the battery storage system in place, the utility can now switch off all diesel generators for up to ten hours on sunny days and supply electricity from solar energy to the island’s population of close to 2,000. The storage capacity enables SEC to save around 300 litres (79.3 gallons) of diesel every hour.

In late 2017, SMA completed a solar-plus-storage project on the island of St. Eustatius for Statia Utility Company (Stuco). The project saw the capacity of a photovoltaic (PV) farm doubled to 4.15 MW and the capacity of a battery storage system increased to about 5.9 MWh.